Author: Pond Blog

It’s hard to discover new music as soon as it arrives consistently. With the amount that comes through each and every day, sometimes absolute gems can slip through your fingers until they start to crack the mainstream or gain some noise in the media. Likewise, London’s Teen Brains released their self-titled debut EP last year which completely evaded my listening. Luckily, 2016 sees them back for more with their destructive yet hazy new release Translucent. Continue reading “Teen Brains – Translucent EP”→

October 15th sees a great coming together in the middle of Leeds. Created by the brilliantly named Pizza For The People group, the Indie Banquet at Duke Studios will bring through delicious food alongside some electric up-and-coming bands for a night of pure mayhem. Continue reading “Pizza For The People: Indie Banquet”→

Remixing one of the greats is never easy, but Sam Butcher, guitarist of Mirror Gorillas, proves that it is possible with his euphoric debut EP, Aretha. Although Mirror Gorillas are a band that fit firmly within the remits of the indie world, Sam goes against this, instead exploring he synthy trip-pop aspects of electronic music, and even drawing in elements of hip-hop. But this isn’t any old electronic bedroom EP; the use of Aretha Franklin’s vocals adds depth to the album, combining the timeless elements of jazz and soul with the spacey modernity of electronica. The opening track, ‘Ain’t No Way’, mixes saxophone riffs (from the original song of the same name) and is underlined with a beat that wouldn’t be out of place in a trap song. The second track on the EP, ‘Till U Come Back 2 Me’, opens with a classical sounding piano intro, but swiftly turns into a distorted and hazy piece. ‘Unforgettable’ also has a hazy feel, opening with a synth progression that would be well at home in a PC music single. Synth in the closing track, ‘Keep You’, has a distinctly Tame Impala feel to it, yet Butcher manages to make the track his own once again.

Aidan Leather aka Ralph Cola is an interesting one man project set to engineer idealistic and otherworldly sounds together to create a tantalising experience. From the opening of debut EP Cosmic Joke it’s clear that there is an influence in space and emptiness, with the simplistic melody from the intro unnerving just enough to toy with the listeners. The muffled speech sounds strained which is a hint that maybe this EP won’t be comfortable listening but more provocative. The songs are very bass heavy with their deep sounds leading the way. ‘Sundial’ is a burst of orange with a groovy tune and pace. The vocals are delicate and blow like a breeze across the song. Continue reading “Ralph Cola – Cosmic Joke”→

Coming off as a spiritual successor to the insane creations of Chris Cunningham and Aphex Twin, destructive act Vulgarians have released an accompanying video for their track ‘Naturally Nothing’. With the same hazy filter that appeared on ‘Lost Sanity Smiles’, the video is just as monstrous and sinister as the song itself with intentional choppy editing that could give Suicide Squad a run for its money. Following the band’s interaction with a schizophrenic man, ‘Naturally Nothing’ gives off a Fight Club vibe that can’t be shook with violent and unsettling imagery before dipping its toes in B-Horror movie waters. All in all, the messy delight that is ‘Naturally Nothing’ has been perfectly partnered with this video. Continue reading “Premiere: Vulgarians Share ‘Naturally Nothing’ Video”→

The idea of naming your musical outfit after an American filmmaker and director famed for his collaborations on projects like Jackass, Loiter Squad and a huge list of music videos and tours will continue to be music to my ears.

Just as the title would imply, ‘Bloom’ is a slowly transcending tapestry of cool ambient sounds and shoe-gaze staples that is as chilling as it is soothing. From the minds of Newcastle act Dose, the track is injected with an array of alluring instrumentals that span the entirety of its running time, leaving the firm impression that the band are potent and bursting with potential.

Today brings the release of Rough Trade’s comprehensive 40 track compilation, marking the 40 years in which the world renowned indie label and record shop have been creating, moulding, and selling the best alternative music over the decades. This compilation double CD is a set of Rough Trade’s favourite songs about other musicians, all of which were released in the 40 years since they first opened the front door in 1976, and features the likes of The Fall and Psychic TV, to Radiohead, to Daniel Johnson and Pavement, to Mogwai, Fat White Family, and Sun Kil Moon. 40 years, 40 heroes. Continue reading “Rough Trade Release Heroes 1976-2016 (Volume 1), Marking Their 40th Anniversary”→

‘Here we go again…’ and indeed we do, because unsurprisingly Communions’ newly unveiled track ‘Eternity’ is another stunner. It’s got that thing that those 80s bands like The Cure had – a perfect sense of shimmering aching love, just a dash of melancholy in an oddly life affirming tune. They’ve somehow mastered that sense of nostalgia, but fusing it with an incredibly 2016 production that makes it sound just so vast. It’s just layer upon layer of subtle references, from thrilling synths to rapid heart beat drumming and then to power pop guitars. Instant classic, just add a good pair of headphones. Continue reading “Communions – ‘Eternity’”→